Partly cloudy, becoming overcast later in the afternoon. Temperatures into the upper 50s. Light winds.
Getting ready to head out this morning, I thought I would go up Verstovia. However, once out, it looked like clouds were moving over, and the sun would disappear sooner rather than later. Given the scarcity of sun over the past few weeks, i wanted to have more time directly in the sun rather than walking through the forest.
With that in mind, I went out to Halibut Point Rec. I forgot that the beach is mostly in the shade until later in the day. I checked the beach and saw a Spotted Sandpiper, then moved on.
My next stop was Pioneer Park. With the cool, wet weather I hadn’t really had it in mind that it’s time to check for shooting stars. The dark-throated shooting star (Primula pauciflora) is fairly common along shorelines in the area, but this is the only place I’ve found it along the road system. Since I never know when I might get a chance to get out to other shorelines, I like to make a visit to this population each spring to catch the flowers.
While there I heard a wren calling and occasionally singing. Tracking its movement as I could, I caught a glimpse of a fledgling Pacific Wren. There may have been more than one, but I only saw one at a time.
My attention was split, since I was on a call at the time, but I did hear the/an adult singing periodicially. The song was not the full-throated one from a high perch that I associated with territorial singing. I wondered if it might have been used to help the fledgling bird keep track of where its parent was foraging so they wouldn’t get separated too much.
Many of the rocks along the shoreline seem to be stained. That’s especially apparent where the outer layer has flaked off. The color seems similar to what I’ve noticed at Halibut Point Rec, but I’m not sure if it’s due to the same process (nor what the process is in either case).
As it turned out, the clouds didn’t end up moving over so fast. The break between gray and blue skies stayed basically over the central part of town into the early afternoon before conditions became overcast.
Since we hadn’t gone to look for frogs on her birthday (due to the rain), I asked Rowan if she wanted to go today. She did, so we headed out there around mid-afternoon.
It may have been our most successful trip. We saw at least 5 frogs, all but one pale in color. Most were on the slope above the pond, but hopped down towards the water if one of us got too close.
The slightly darker frog one was missing an eye. It didn’t look to me like it had lost an eye, but rather than it never developed in the first place.
I don’t remember seeing this pale tan color before. On previous visits they have been darker brown or brighter green. I had a vague recollection that they may be able to change color. A quick internet search suggested limited study has been done, but it is known they will change color in response to time of year, temperature, and/or humidity (depending on the study).
I made a visit to the park before going home.
I found it quiet bird-wise. A small flock of gulls were hanging out on the shoreline. Among them was an exceptionally one pale one. I think it was sun-bleached/worn feathers rather than Glaucous Gull. That said, most of the gulls with clearly worn plumage aren’t this pale. I wonder if it perhaps wintered in California or someplace with more intense sun.
I stopped to watch a few shorebirds in front of the Visitor Center as tide was coming up. I counted 14 Western Sandpipers with one Semipalmated Plover, and further out, 7 Whimbrels.
Before going home, I visited the woodpecker nest. Based on what I was hearing from the young bird, I suspected my earlier thought that it was a Red-breasted Sapsucker nest was incorrect. When I got over to look at the nest, I could see a young bird with its head looking out from the entrance. It clearly was not a sapsucker. I was able to watch one of the adults foraging in the nearby patch of conifers, then delivering food to the young bird. It looked to me like it may be large enough to fledge soon.
This nest hole is placed directly under a branch, and I’ve previously noticed holes under shelf fungi. In considering my earlier mistake about the sapsuckers, I also realized I’m not sure I have ever seen a sapsucker nest with the sheltered entrance. Certainly I’ve seen many that are along a vertical stretch with no branches or other growths above or below (including on utility poles). I’m not sure every Hairy Woodpecker nest I’ve seen has a sheltered entrance, but I’ve noticed it often enough, I wonder if it’s a tendency.
My iNaturalist Observations for Today
